Automatic animal-feeder



(No Model.)

L. PERSON. AUTOMATIC ANIMAL FEEDER.

No. 448,256. Patented Mar. 17, 1891.

Frrn' Sterne arn'r rrron.

LUOIUS PERSON, OF HOLYOKE, MASSAGHUSE'ITS.

AUTOMATIC ANIMAL-FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,256, dated March 17,1891.

Application filed May 31,1890. Serial No. 353,780- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUoIUs Pnnson, a citizen of the United States, residing at I-Iolyoke, Hampden county, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Automatic Animal-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to the construction of feed-retaining boxes above the mangers and to the details of mechau ism connecting said boxes with an alarm-clock, so that at a predetermined time the feed may be discharged into the mangers, the objects of my improvements being to simplify the construction and operation of such mechanism and facilitate its combination with the ordinary alarm-clock; and my invention consists in the combination and construction as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claim.

My invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure I is an elevation, in partial section, of two feedboxes, with cords therefrom to a clock. Fig. II is a top plan view of the clock. Fig. III is an enlarged rear elevation of the clock. Fig. IV is an enlarged side View of the clock with the combined windingkey and cord-pulley detached, and Fig. V is a plan view of one feed-box.

In the drawings, A is the alarm-clock now in general use, having upon its rear side, in addition to the main winding-key a, an alarm-winding key h. The key h is made detachable, and with its stem is combined a pulley t' for winding a cord m. This is more particularly shown in Fig. IV, and it will be seen that by this construction any slack in the cord, owing to stretching or to hygrometric causes, can be taken up upon the pulley before fixing it upon the shaft 0 of the alarm, and also that the increased windingsurface afforded by the pulley over the usual key-stem permits cord enough to be taken up to provide for an extended movement of the free ends of the doors II II, to which the cord m is attached.

To the cord m is fastened the ends of cords n n, which are conducted, as shown in Fig.

I, through an eye 19, through eyes 1* in the sides of the boxes I I, through holes in the boxes to eyes .9 in the free ends of doors II H, and from thence,- if more boxes are used, through holes 25 to the doors H II of said boxes. These cords n n, uniting in the cord m, are wound in the act of winding the alarm to close the doors II II to retain the feed which may be placed in the boxes to. rest upon said doors, and upon the springing of the alarm, without intermediate mechanism from the alarm-shaft 0 to the boxes I I, the boxes are free to empty themselves by gravity.

The clock A can be detached in a few moments for use in the dwelling and be replaced with equal loss of time.

As shown in the drawings, the doors II II are arranged in the boxes I I to form inclined bottoms thereto when closed, so as to cause the contents to act as awedge in. starting and swinging the doors upon their hinges when released by their cords n n, and I arrange a flexible hood 0 to project from the inside of the boxes over the joint formed by the hinged end of the doors with the side of the boxes, which protects said joint from being filled up by the feed.

' In Fig. I the hood is shown in profile in both positions, the dotted line indicating that position taken by the hood in covering the distended edge of the depressed door.

In Fig. V the strip, preferably of leather or canvas, is shown tacked to the inside of the box I to leave a lower edge free to lap over the door II.

The surfaces of the holes adjacent to the eyes 5 of the doors, and the eyes 1' and 19, through which the cords n n pass at an angle, support a large portion of the weight of the feed upon the closed doors II II, so that no more weight is applied through cord m to pulley it than the alarm-shaft and mechanism connected therewith can easily carry.

I am aware that it is not new to use clock mechanism in stables for regulating the time of feeding, and make no claim to any principle controlling the same; but

hat I claim is- In an automatic feed-box for animals, the

combination of a winding-key h and cordfree edges attached to cords n 02, passing winding pulley 2', combined and adapted to thereto through the wall of the boxes, all opbe made fast to the alarm-Winding shaft of a mating as and for the purpose set forth. clock, a cord m, secured to pulley i, cords n LU OIUS PERSON. 91, attached to cord m, eyes 1) and r for guid ing cords n n, and doors H H, hinged in boxes I I and inclined therein to have their lower Witnesses:

R. F. HYDE, PENN TYLER. 

